In this guide and FAQ, we’ll cover everything you ever wanted to know about vegan rice brands, different styles of rice and the vegan status of rice served, and different restaurants.
Let’s begin.
Don’t have time to read? Here’s a quick summary of the products we recommend.
List of Vegan Rice Brands
Here I’ll include a variety of vegan rice brands you might want to check out. They’re all going to be different types (bulk, instant, etc.), so you’re sure to find something that suits your fancy.
Do note that not every product that these brands make is vegan. These are just a few good ones that we’ve picked out.
Lotus Foods Gourmet Organic Brown Jasmine Rice, 25-Pound Bag
This is the best product on the list because it’s a bulk bag of rice! It’s super cheap (per pound) and lasts a long time. Keep it in your pantry for vegan stir fry, rice balls, and more.
Related Article: Vegan Sports Drinks
Minute Instant Enriched Long Grain White Rice
This is a plain white boil in the bag variety of rice. It cooks up quickly when you don’t have time to bust out the rice maker. Since it’s in a bag, there’s very little mess in terms of starchy pots and whatnot.
Veetee Dine In Rice – Microwavable Thai Jasmine Rice – 10.6 oz
If you’re in need of a quick lunch, this is so simple. Just microwave up this Jasmine rice, open up a can of chickpeas or lentils, and viola!
You may also want to check out our article on the best microwave toaster oven combo.
Tasty Bite Brown Rice Lentil 8.8 Ounce
A complete meal of brown rice and lentils that you can throw in the microwave. Tasty Bite makes all sorts of combinations, and the ones that I’ve seen are always vegan. They’re always spiced perfectly as well!
SEEDS OF CHANGE Organic Quinoa & Brown Rice
Double the grains, double the deliciousness! Seeds of Change makes all sorts of products with different flavors. And all the ones that I’ve seen so far are vegan!
Is Rice Vegan?
On its own, rice is 100% vegan as it’s just another grain. Depending on what type of rice you get, it can either be a whole grain (brown, black, red, etc.) or a refined grain (white). But either way, plain rice is vegan. Types of rice that fit in this category include…
- Brown rice
- Jasmine Rice
- Red Rice
- White Rice
- Wild Rice
You may notice some “weird” looking ingredients on some packages of white rice, but these are merely vitamin fortifications.
Is Yellow Rice Vegan?
Yellow rice isn’t a type of rice on its own, but rather a rice recipe that usually includes turmeric (which makes it yellow), olive oil, and some seasonings. Most of the time, yellow rice is vegan, but there may be some exceptions.
Yellow rice can be made with butter (a non-vegan dairy product), but this usually is not the case. If you’re unsure, it’s always best to ask.
Is Rice Paper Vegan?
Absolutely. Every rice paper brand I’ve ever seen was also 100% vegan. Rice paper is usually a combination of rice flour and tapioca flour (starch from the cassava root).
Is Zatarain’s Spanish Rice Vegan?
According to their website, Zatarain’s Spanish Rice is completely vegan. There are no dairy or other animal products to be found.
Here’s the entire ingredient statement for your reference…
ENRICHED LONG GRAIN PARBOILED RICE (RICE, IRON, NIACIN, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, FOLIC ACID), ONION, SALT, RED & GREEN BELL PEPPER, SPICES (INCLUDING RED PEPPER), SUGAR, YEAST EXTRACT, TAMARI SOY SAUCE (SOYBEAN, SALT) & GARLIC.
Are Rice Noodles Vegan?
Rice noodles are vegan. Most brands of rice noodles are made of rice flour and cornstarch or tapioca starch. I have never seen a brand of rice noodles that contained any animal products. It most likely doesn’t exist.
Is Mango Sticky Rice Vegan?
If you’re out at a restaurant and wondering if you should order the sticky mango rice, there’s a very 99% chance that it is vegan. Mango sticky rice is traditionally made with coconut milk (non-dairy milk). If you’re unsure, it’s best to double-check with your server, but I’ve never seen a mango sticky rice recipe called for regular milk.
Is Pilau Rice Vegan?
Pilau rice may or may not be vegan because it can be made with butter or oil. There are several different versions of the recipe, some using oil, butter, or ghee. If you’re at a restaurant or a get-together, your best bet is to ask how the rice was made.
Is Sushi Rice Vegan?
Yes! Sushi rice is vegan. The traditional Japanese recipe calls for vinegar, sugar, salt, and rice. This also means that your veggie rolls are vegan too!
Is Rice Pilaf Vegan?
Rice pilaf is usually vegan because it is made with chicken stock and butter. However, it is very easy to swap for veggie stock and only use oils in any rice pilaf recipe. You can use “chicken stock flavored” vegan stock mixes to make things even tastier.
Is Rice Cheese Vegan?
Depending on which brand of rice cheese you’re getting, it may or may not be vegan. For example, this rice-based cheese from Go Veggie has casein, a dairy product. There may be other vegan brands, though.
To learn more, see our list of vegan cheese brands.
Is Taco Bell’s Seasoned Rice Vegan?
Check out this vegan starter kit
According to the Taco Bell website, their rice is certified vegan. Here are the ingredients for your reference…
Ingredients:
Enriched long grain rice, water, canola oil, seasoning (maltodextrin, salt, natural flavors, tomato powder, sugar, garlic powder, spices, onion, tomato, red and green bell peppers, citric acid, paprika, onion powder, paprika (VC), disodium guanylate and inosinate, torula yeast. [certified vegan]
Is Popeyes Red Beans and Rice Vegan?
Popeyes Red Beans and Rice is not vegan. While they don’t list their ingredients on their website, they list the nutritional information. According to the nutrition facts, Popeyes Red Beans and Rice have some cholesterol content, meaning some animal products (but we don’t know what they are).
Is Mahatma Yellow Rice Vegan?
Yes! According to their website, Mahatma Yellow Rice is vegan. Their ingredient statement (pasted below) does not contain any animal products. Yay Mahatma!
Ingredients:
Enriched Long Grain Rice [rice, niacin, iron (ferric orthophosphate), thiamin (thiamin mononitrate), folic acid], Saffron Yellow Seasoning [Salt, Sugar, Dehydrated Onion, Monosodium Glutamate, Turmeric, Garlic, Corn Starch, Spices, Safflower, Saffron, Silicon Dioxide (Prevents Caking)].
Is Goya Yellow Rice Vegan?
No, Goya Yellow Rice isn’t vegan. Their ingredient statement has chicken fat which is an animal product. It will be posted below for your reference.
Ingredients:
Long Grain Enriched Parboiled Rice (Rice Enriched With Iron [Ferric Orthophosphate], Niacin, Thiamine [Thiamine Mononitrate] And Folic Acid), Chicken Flavor (Salt, Monosodium Glutamate, Sugar, Yeast Extract, Maltodextrin, Granulated Onion, Chicken Fat, Natural Flavor, Silicon Dioxide As Anticaking Agent, Granulated Garlic, Spices, Parsley), Dehydrated Onion, Salt, Granulated Garlic, Dehydrated Red Bell Pepper, Dehydrated Green Bell Pepper, Coriander, Yellow No. 5, Silicon Dioxide (As Anticaking Agent) And Annatto.
Is Rice Dream Vegan?
Yes! Rice Dream Milk is vegan. They even have a plant-based symbol on their website and openly advertise creating plant-based beverages. Their drinks are delicious too!
Ingredients:
Filtered Water, Organic Brown Rice (Partially Milled), Organic Expeller Pressed Canola Oil And/Or Organic Safflower Oil And/Or Organic Sunflower Oil, Sea Salt.
Is Chinese Fried Rice Vegan?
Chinese Fried Rice from a random takeout place probably won’t be vegan. There are usually bits of pork in it and also may contain honey. Depending on the establishment, there’s a small chance that they have a vegan version, but it’s safe to assume that it’s not vegan.
Is Spanish Rice Vegan?
Generally speaking, a bowl of homemade Spanish rice won’t be vegan because it will contain chicken stock and butter. However, it is entirely possible to make it vegan (and taste just as good), and some brands make pre-made Spanish rice without any animal products.
Is Knorr Spanish Rice Vegan?
At the time of writing, Knorr’s Spanish Rice Side IS vegan. While it’s not on their website, we were able to find Knorr’s Spanish rice on Walmart.
Do note that not all rice products from Knorr are vegan, so be sure to check the label.
Ingredients:
Enriched Parboiled Long Grain Rice Rice, Niacin, Ferric Orthophosphate (Iron), Thiamin Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Folic Acid, Enriched Vermicelli Wheat And Durum Flour, Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate (Iron), Thiamin Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Folic Acid, Tomato Powder, Maltodextrin (Corn), Salt, Chili Pepper*, Sugar, Potassium Chloride, Red And Green Bell Peppers*, Spices, Yeast Extract, High Oleic Sunflower Oil, Paprika And Extract Of Turmeric (For Color), Disodium Guanylate, Disodium Inosinate, Citric Acid, Garlic Powder, Natural Flavor. *Dried May Contain Soy, Milk,
Is White Rice Flour Vegan?
Yes. White Rice Flour is vegan and doesn’t contain any animal products. It’s perfectly suitable for vegan/gluten-free baking.
Is Take Out Rice Vegan?
Generally, take out rice will be vegan if it’s simply plain white rice. However, if seasonings are added (like yellow or fried rice), it is always best to ask if they have meat or dairy products.
Is Mexican Rice from Moe’s Grill Vegan?
While Moe’s does not list the ingredients on their website, it’s pretty safe to assume that their Seasoned Rice is vegan while their Seasoned Lime Rice is not. This is because the Seasoned Rice doesn’t have any cholesterol while the Seasoned Lime Rice does – according to the Nutrition Calculator they offer.
We’re assuming this since cholesterol only comes from animal products.
It’s probably best to ask when you go to a Moe’s because it may vary by location since their ingredients aren’t listed.
Is The Rice at Del Taco Vegan?
The Fresca Lime Rice at Del Taco is NOT vegan. According to their website, they have Sodium Caseinate as part of the ingredient list, a dairy product.
Here are the ingredients…
Fresca Lime Rice: Water, Rice, Canola Oil, Vegetable Base (Salt, Dextrose, Dehydrated Potato, Shortening Powder (Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Partially Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oil, Corn Syrup Solids, Sodium Caseinate, Mono And Diglycerides, Citric Acid), Disodium Inosinate, Disodium Guanylate, Natural Vegetable Flavor, Spices, Natural Vegetable Powder, Dehydrated Yeast (Yeast Extract, Partially Hydrogenated Cottonseed And Soybean Oils), Vegetable Shortening, Dehydrated Mushrooms, Oleoresin Turmeric, Oleoresin Paprika, Oleoresin Celery, Lecithin, Caramel Color), Onions, Salt, Garlic Powder
Is the rice at Taco Bueno Vegan?
As of writing this, both the Mexican Rice and Cilantro Lime Rice at Taco Bueno are vegan. Neither have any labeled animal products, but the cilantro lime rice has a much cleaner ingredient statement while the Mexican Rice has hydrogenated oil (not very healthy).
- Cilantro Lime Rice: water, rice, white, long-grain, parboiled, enriched, dry, filtered water, lime juice concentrate, lime essence, sodium metabisulfite (preservative), sea salt, cilantro.
- Mexican Rice: water, rice, white, long-grain, parboiled, enriched, dry, crushed tomatoes (vine-ripened fresh tomatoes, tomato puree, salt and ascorbic acid (vitamin c).), mexican rice seasoning
(monosodium glutamate, tomato powder, hydrolyzed soy protein, salt, dehydrated onion, dehydrated bell peppers, sugar, chili pepper, spices, garlic powder, soybean oil, citric acid, yeast extract,
ground turmeric, extractives of paprika, silicon dioxide.), soybean oil (soybean oil, hydrogenated soybean oil, soy lecithin, TBHQ and citric acid added to help preserve freshness, natural and
artificial butter flavor, beta carotene (color), dimethylpolysiloxane.)
Is Halal Cart Rice Vegan?
It’s impossible to know whether a given Halal Cart has vegan rice, but it’s safe to assume it’s not. Most recipes online that make Halal rice dishes use butter and/animal stocks to season the rice, so it’s safe to assume that most carts do as well. However, it is always worth asking, just in case.
Is Rice Vinegar Vegan?
Yes! Rice wine vinegar is absolutely vegan.
Is Microwave Rice Vegan?
Microwave rice, also known as instant rice, will usually be vegan if it is a plain product (like white or brown rice). However, if it is flavored rice, it is always best to double-check the label for dairy products or animal fats/stocks because the ingredients can vary greatly from product to product.
Is Uncle Ben’s Rice Vegan?
Uncle Ben has a combination of rice products, some are vegan, and some are not. If it’s plain (with no seasonings), then it’s probably vegan, but if not – it is always best to check.
There are hidden dairy products in places where you wouldn’t think they’d be like Uncle Ben’s Teriyaki-Style rice. But then they have other products, such as their Jasmin Brown Rice and Edamame which are completely vegan.
When looking at Uncle Ben’s products, it’s best to check their labels carefully.
Are Rice Cakes Vegan?
Rice cakes are usually vegan, but there are some exceptions. The plain varieties – like from Quaker only contain a few ingredients, none of which are from animals. However, some rice cakes may have cheese (there are cheddar flavors). These types of flavors aren’t vegan.
Is Arborio Rice Vegan?
By itself, Arborio Rice is vegan, but cooking methods may add animal stocks and/or dairy products if making a traditional risotto. Remember that these ingredients are easily swapped for plant-based ones to make a risotto that comes out just as good!
Is Saffron Rice Vegan?
Saffron rice can be made in a wide variety of ways. Some of these ways are vegan, and some aren’t. The more traditional ways use animal-based stocks and butter on occasion. These aren’t vegan.
Swap out butter for oil and animal stocks for a plant-based stock, and it’s just as delicious!
Is Panda Express Rice Vegan?
According to their Nutrition Facts. Panda Express White and Brown Rice are most likely vegan because they don’t contain any cholesterol. However, the fried rice that Panda Express makes certainly contains animal products – namely eggs.
Is Filberto’s Rice Vegan?
We’ve contacted Filberto’s Mexican food and found out that their rice is NOT vegan. We reached out on Facebook and got the following response…
Hello! Thank you for your interest in Filiberto’s ®. Our Spanish Rice recipe does contain a small amount of chicken bouillon, so it does not classify as vegan. While we cannot offer a vegan version of our rice at this time, we are always looking for ways to expand our menu offerings for all of our customers’ needs. Should you have any additional questions, don’t hesitate to contact us!
The Filiberto’s Team
That it! If you want to learn more about shopping and living as a vegan, be sure to check out our beginner’s grocery list. You’ll love it!
Hey, I’m Joey. I’ve been cooking since I was a little kid and love everything about it. You can find my writing about food, kitchen appliances (such as blenders) and much more. Thanks for stopping by!
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